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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. stock — goods
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. roll — a list
  8. rush — hurry
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — bread
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stock — shares
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. roll — a cake

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com